Equipment for manufacturing structural blocks



3 SheetsSheet 1 Oct. 9, 1962 Filed March 29. 1960 Oct. 9, 1962 v. P.RUSSELL 3,057,033

EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURING STRUCTURAL BLOCKS Filed March 29, 1960 I sSheets-Sheet 2 T g.fl

33% X as I L /36 a 52 52 x r J1 a A 2 a q 56 38 -58 2 j g 57 -39 24 25 E38 5a #53 j 58 -34 7"; 3 34 59 j? l 2.? Z P'- Q fig? INVENTOR. VALDEMARP. RUSSELL ATTORNEY EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURING STRUCTURAL BLOCKS FiledMarch 29, 1960 V. P. RUSSELL Oct. 9, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 3 ATTORNEY Unite3,057,033 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,057,033 EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURINGSTRUCTURAL BLOCKS Valdemar P. Russell, Calstone C0., 970 Commercial St.,San Carlos, Calif. Filed Mar. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 18,310 7 (Ilaims. .(Cl.25-41) The invention, in general, relates to the construction art andmore particularly relates to an improved concrete block machine for theproduction of the unique structural block of the present invention.

It has long been the common practice in the construction of walls andpartitions from hollow concrete masonry units to utilize mainly astandard size of block having the over-all dimensions of 8 x 8" X 16".Also, depending upon the locale of the particular building or dwellingto be constructed, as well as depending upon, to some extent, the typeand design of adjacent buildings or dwellings, some architecturaltreatment has heretofore been attempted in order to provide an improvedaesthetic effect and to present different design motifs than can beafforded by a flat finished wall utilizing only the standard concretemasonry unit of the dimensions of 8 x 8" x 16". Accordingly, somedesigners of building walls or partitions and the like have eitherreduced the height of the block from the standard size or have increasedthe height to provide either an 8 x 4 x 16" block or an 8" X 12 X 16"block. However, these variations from the standard size masonry unithave many disadvantages, particularly that of the appreciably increasedcosts of mortar, material and labor, as well as added design expenses.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a concreteblock machine for producing a unique masonry unit wherein its face ismaterially altered from the face of a standard building masonry unit anda flat face is avoided.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide an improvedmachine for manufacturing masonry units of the indicated nature which isadditionally characterized by the fact that existing concrete blockmachines require only slight alteration to meet the requirernents forbuilding the unique block of my present invention.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageousfeatures thereof, will appear from the following description of myinvention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to beunderstood, of course, that I am not to be limited to the precise construction of the building block machine shown, as my invention, asdefined by the appended claims can be embodied in a plurality andvariety of forms of the block machine illustrated.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly in section, ofthe left-hand side of a preferred embodiment of my invention in a blockmanufacturing machine, this view omitting the feed box and showing thestripper head positioned slightly above the mold box.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the stripper head loweredinto vibratory and compressing position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing both left and right-handsides of the machine and with the stripper head in a block ejectionposition.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the stripper head and mold blockof my improved block manufacturing machine with these elements inpositions just prior to compression of the concrete mix in the moldcompartments.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the units shown in FIG. 4 but with the stripperhead removed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of a wall containing various units of thepreferred embodiment of the invention in a masonry block at variousplaces in the wall.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my presentinvention as exemplified in a unique masonry block.

FIG. 8 is a detail of a modified liner compressing face illustrating onepossible variation in design of the masonry unit of my presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is an end elevational view looking in the direction of the arrow99 of FIG. 1.

In its preferred form, the improved masonry unit formed by my presentinvention preferably comprises a concrete hollow block having a face ofwhich approximately one-half thereof projects forwardly of or overhangsthe remaining one-half of the face.

A preferred form of my improved equipment for manufacturing my uniquebuilding block preferably comprises a supported mold box for receivingwet concrete mix in compartments thereof; said mold having a depressibleand replaceable pallet serving as a bottom thereof, a stripper headmovably supported above said mold box and adapted to be lowered to aposition so as to compress the concrete mix delivered into thecompartments of said mold box, together with means for vibrating saidmold box and said stripper head to settle and compress the concrete mixin said compartments, the two-section liner secured to opposite ends ofsaid mold box; said liner sections being relatively movable, and meanssecured to said stripper head and connected to said two-section linersfor effecting the compression of the concrete mix in some of thecompartments of said mold box to a greater extent than that compressedby said stripper head so as to provide a face on some of the concreteblocks formed in said mold box having approximately one-half thereofprojecting beyond the other one-half thereof.

As is probably well known, block manufacturing machines presently in useinclude a mold box divided into a purality of compartments into whichconcrete mix is deposited by a horizontally mounted feed box which isadvanced and retracted for depositing its load into the mold box and forreceiving .an additional load for the successive deposition of theconcrete mix into the several compartments of the mold box during theoperation of the machine. In addition, such machines also include astripper head which overlies the mold box at an elevation sufficientlyhigh to clear the path of the feed box; the stripper head being movablein a vertical path and being moved in timed relationship with respect tothe feed box, so that the stripper head engages the concrete mix in thecompartments of the mold box and compresses the same to the desiredextent under supplied vibration from vibratory mechanism, not shown.This type of block manufacturing machine has been devised and has beenutilized for many years to manufacture standard sizes of concretemasonry units; namely, sizes of 8" x 8" x 16" or concrete masonry unitsof one-half of the height or dimensions of 8" x 4" x 16 or masonry unitsof greater height, such as 8" x 12' x 16".

In accordance with the present invention and in order to manufacture myunique concrete masonry unit, as above indicated, I have providedmodifications in a conventional block manufacturing machine so that,utilizing a three compartment mold box, there can be manufactured at theend of each cycle of operations one standard masonry block of thedimensions of 8" x 8" x 16 and two masonry units 11 of my presentinvention. The projecting portion 12 provided on each of my improved andunique building blocks overhangs a portion 13 which, through the mediumof the formed shoulder 14 on each block, affords a shadow line 16.Shadow line 16, of course, is more pronounced on sunny days 3 where theunique'building block of-my invention is incorporated in a building wall17, see FIG. 6 of the annexed drawings, upon which the light rays of thesun may be directed.

The modifications which I preferably make in a conventional concreteblock manufacturing machine partly consist of securing end liners,generally designated by the reference numerals 21 and 22, as endclosures for the mold box 23 of such a machine; the mold box 23conveniently being standard in size in that it is provided with a pairof partitions 24 and 25 to divide the mold box into three compartments26, 27 and 23 of equal size, see FIGS. 4 and 5, and also being providedwith a depressible, replaceable pallet 29 which serves as a bottomclosure for the mold box while it is being filled and during the periodthat the introduced concrete mix is'settling and is compressed.

The end liners 21 and 22 extend throughout the depth of the mold box 23and preferably comprise two relatively movable sections 31 and 32wherein the section 31, in each end liner 21 and 22, is fixedly securedto the sides of the mold box and the other section 32 of each end lineris mounted on the fixed section 31 for movement thereon and relativethereto. As shown, the fixed section 31 of each end liner is formed witha reduced upper end 33 and, to this end, the lower portion of each fixedsection 31 is cut away, preferably on a straight line, to provide astraight shoulder 34 thereon approximately midway of its height; that isto say, midway of the height of the mold box 23. Moreover, the movablesection 32 of each end liner 21 and 22 of the mold box is made with aninner plate 36 and an outer plate 37, spaced from the inner plate andjoined to the inner plate by screw-bolts 38. The space between the twoplates 36 and 37 of each of the movable sections 32 of the end liners 21and 22 is slightly greater than the width of the reduced upper portionof the fixed sections 31 of the end liners and the sections are soassembled and arranged that the inner and outer plates 36 and 37 of themovable sections 32 of the end liners slide upon the inner and outerfaces, respectively, of the upper portion of the fixed sections 31 ofsuch end liners.

In order to permit of the requisite relative movement between the twosections 31 and 32 of the end liners 21 and 22 of the mold box 23, aswell as to permit the joinder of the inner and outer plates 36 and 37 ofthe movable sections 32 by the bolts 38, the reduced upper portions 33of the fixed sections 31 of such end liners are cut away to provide athrough opening 39 which defines upper and lower abutments or stops 41and 42 for the joiner bolts 38 connecting the two plates 36 and 37 ofthese movable sections 32. As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 1 to 3,inclusive, of the drawings, 1 provide a pair of end strips 43 and 44 onthe outside of the upper portions 33 of the fixed sections 31 of the endliners 21 and 22 and provide these end strips adjacent to the top of themold box 23; such end strips 43 and 44 being of the same thickness asthe shoulders 34 on the lower portion of the fixed sections 31 andhaving lateral dimensions approximately equal to the width of theopening 39. Thus, when the upper sections 32 of the end liners 21 and 22are moved downwardly to their extreme positions, the lower ends of theouter plates 37 of the movable sections 32 abut the shoulders 34 on thefixed sections 31 and downward movement is thereby stopped. At the sametime, the bolts 38 engage the bottom stops 42 defined by the openings 39in the reduced upper portions of the fixed sections 31 of the liners. Onthe reverse movement of the movable sections 32, i.e., when they aremoved to their extreme upper limits, the bolts 38 engage the upperlimits 41 of the opening '39 and the upper ends of the outer plates 37also engage and are stopped by the lower ends of the end strips 43 and44. g

In accordance with the present invention, I provide means for movingthe'movable sections 32 of the end liners 21 and 22 between theirextreme positions, recurrently, in order that they will be in theirproper positions for manufacturing my unique concrete masonry units 11.These means are depicted clearly in FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, of thedrawings, as well as in FIG. 10 and serve to hold the movable sections32 in their lowermost positions throughout the vibratory cycle of theblock manufacturing machine to insure that the shoulders 14 and theoverhang portions 12 of the improved masonry units 11 are properlyformed in the concrete mix in the two end compartments 26 and 28 of themold box 23, while at the same time a standard 8" x 8" x 16" masonryblock is formed in the center compartment 27 of the mold box 23. To thisend, I preferably provide a pair of push rods 46 which are arranged inspaced relationship to one another, as shown in FIG. 8 of the annexeddrawings so that one push rod of each of the pairs of push rods isdisposed adjacent to an end liner of the mold box 23; such push rods 46being conveniently adjustably attached by means of a threaded section 47thereon and a lock nut 48 to the base plate 49 of the stripper of themachine. For lack of space, the entire stripper and stripper head of themachine are not shown in the drawings but the stripper is shown infragmentary view and is designated generally by the reference numeral 51and only one of the stripper shoes 52 is shown. It is, of course, to beunderstood that the stripper includes three stripper shoes 52 in thecase of a three compartment mold box 23 in order to strip or remove thethree formed masonry units from the cores 53 of the mold box. The base54 of each of the push rods 46' is retained, during the vibration cycleof the machine, within a split-collar 56; each of which collars isattached through the medium of a bracket 57 to an outer plate 37 of amovable section 32 of each of the end liners 21 and 22 of the mold box23. Since the push rods 46 are attached to the stripper base plate 49,they maintain pressure through the collars 56 and brackets 57 on themovable sections 32 of the end liners when the stripper is lowered andin vibratory compression position. At the end of each vibration cycle ofthe machine, the split-collars 56 open through the action of cams andsuitable linkage, all not shown, to permit the push rods 46 to raisewith the stripper head 51. Suitable compression springs 58, anchored attheir one ends to the bottom of the brackets 57 and at their other endsto brackets 59 secured to the outer surfaces of the lower, fixedsections 31 of the end liners 21 and 22, serve to return the movablesections 32 of the end liners to their initial up positions at thecompletion of a downstroke of the vibration cycle and thus to positionsfor action upon the succeeding batches of concrete mix deposited intothe mold box recurrently by the feed box, not shown.

By virtue of the foregoing additions to a concrete block manufacturingmachine, it is possible to produce two concrete masonry units 11 of mypresent invention upon the completion of each set of three masonry unitson each complete cycle of operations of the block manufacturing machine.The end liners 21 and 22, secured to the opposite ends of the mold box23, and particularly the inner plates 36 of the movable sections 32 ofsuch added end liners, depress the concrete mix deposited in the endcompartments 2'6 and 28 of the mold box 23 to an appreciably greaterextent than the stripper shoes 52 of the stripper head since the lowerends of these inner plates 36 of the movable sections 32 of the endliners project in advance of the stripper shoes. During the vibrationcycle of the machine, the push rods 46 hold these inner plates 36 underpressure sufliciently to compress the concrete mix and form theshoulders 14 on the units 11 with the result that approximately one-halfof the face thereof, or a portion 12 of each completed unit 11 projectsbeyond the remaining one-half portion 13 of each of the completed units.It is to be appreciated that the lengths of the inner plates 36 of themovable sections 32 of the end liners 21 and 22, as well as the sizes ofthe openings 39 and the positions of the shoulders 34 of the fixedsections 31 of these end liners can be altered at will so that theprojecting portion 12 of each completed masonry unit 11 can beapproximately three-quarters of the entire face thereof, orapproximately one-quarter of the face thereof, or any other proportionof such face, thus providing variations in the positions of the shadowline 16 and permitting the placement of such shadow line 16 at anydesired point on the face of each block. Moreover, the thicknesses ofthe inner plates 36 of the end liners 21 and 22 on mold box 23 can beincreased or decreased at will so that a deeper shoulder or a shallowershoulder 14 can be formed in the faces of the produced blocks 11, thusproviding a Wider or narrower overhanging or projecting portion 12, asdesired, with respect to the remaining portion 13 of each of the blocks.

In addition to the foregoing improved features incorporated in myimproved masonry unit manufacturing machine, I provide a modifiedembodiment of the end liners 21 and 22 so that the shadow linespresented by these improved masonry units when installed in a buildingwall may be varied to meet desired design motifs. To this end, theshoulder forming faces 61, constituting the bottoms of the movableelements 36 of such end liners, are die-cut or otherwise fashioned so asto present a patterned surface, rather than a flat surface, on thebottom of each of these inner surfaces 36 of such end liners, such as apattern of a sine curve, as indicated in FIG. 5 of the annexed drawingsor a serrated configuration or a Zig-zag pattern, as desired. With thismodified surface on the lower ends of the inner plates 36 of the movableelements 33 of the mold box end liners 21 and 22, pattern variations canbe effected in the surface of the shoulders 14 of each of my improvedconcrete masonry units at the time it is manufactured with the resultthat variable-pattern shadow lines 16 may be presented in a buildingwall containing my improved masonry units.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded arange of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made overthe prior art.

I claim:

1. In a machine for manufacturing concrete masonry blocks including acompartmentized mold box wherein quantities of wet concrete mix arerecurrently disposed and depressed and from which concrete blocks areejected, a first means movably supported above and movable into thecompartments of said mold box for depressing the concrete mix in eachcompartment a predetermined extent, and a second means supportedadjacent to the outer portions of the end compartments of said mold boxin overlying relation thereto and connected to said first means formovement in unison therewith and in advance thereof for depressing aportion of the concrete mix in opposite end compartments of said moldbox to a greater extent than compressed by said first means thereby toprovide a shoulder on the face of the concrete blocks formed in said endcompartments of said mold box and thus to provide a face on each of saidformed concrete blocks having a portion thereof projecting beyond theremaining portion thereof.

2. In a machine for manufacturing concrete masonry blocks including acompartmentized mold box wherein quantities of wet concrete mix arerecurrently disposed and also including a stripper head movably mountedabove said mold and adapted to be lowered into compressing engagementwith the concrete mix disposed in the compartments of said mold, atwo-section liner secured to opposite ends of said mold box; one sectionof said two-section liner on each end of said mold box being movablewith respect to the other section of said two-section liner and themovable section of said twosection liner at each end of said mold boxhaving an inner face and an outer face with the inner face of saidmovable section overlying a portion of an end compartment of said moldbox, the inner faces of the movable section of said two section linershaving straight bottoms, and means secured to opposite ends of saidstripper head and connected on the down stroke thereof to the movablesections of said two-section liners for compressing a portion of theconcrete mix in the opposite end compartments of said mold box adjacentto said liners to a greater extent than by said stripper head andthereby to provide a face on each of the formed concrete blocks at theopposite ends of said mold box which has one portion of the faceprojecting beyond the remaining portion thereof and the junctures ofsaid projecting portion and said remaining portion being defined by astraight line and a substantially straight continuous shadow line ispresented on said faces of said formed concrete blocks,

3. In a machine for manufacturing concrete masonry blocks as defined inclaim 2, wherein the bottoms of the inner faces of said movable sectionsof said two-section liners are die-cut in a predetermined pattern sothat the shadow line produced and presented by said faces of said formedconcrete blocks varies from a straight line shadow.

4. In a machine for manufacturing concrete masonry blocks as defined inclaim 2 and wherein the bottoms of the inner faces of the movablesections of said twosection liners are delineated with a patterndifferent than a straight line so as to provide a shadow patterndifferent than a line shadow.

5. In a machine for manufacturing concrete masonry blocks as defined inclaim 2, and including screw-bolts joining said one section of each ofsaid two-section liners to the other section of each thereof forenabling the attachment of shorter or longer other sections to said onesections thereby limiting or enlarging the extent to which the saidsecond means will depress the concrete mix in said opposite endcompartments of said mold.

6. In a machine for manufacturing concrete masonry blocks which includesa mold box having a plurality of compartments including two endcompartments for recurrently receiving batches of wet concrete mixes tobe compressed and also including a vertically reciprocable stripper headsupported above said mold box and means for reciprocating said stripperhead to compress said batches of concrete mix in the compartments ofsaid mold box on the down stroke of said stripper head, the combinationof a two-section liner on each end and closing the ends of said moldbox; each two-section liner consisting of a stationary liner sectionsecured to said mold box and a movable liner section movably mounted onsaid stationary liner section; said movable liner section beingvertically disposed and being movable vertically, a plate on the lowerend of each of said movable liner sections and projecting below thesame, and a push rod on each end of said stripper head in alignment withthe movable liner section of said two-section liner on each end of saidmold box for engaging said movable liner section on the down stroke ofsaid stripper head and moving said plates on said movable liner sectionsappreciably ahead of said stripper head thereby providing a face on eachof the formed concrete blocks compressed in said end compartments ofsaid mold box which has one portion projecting beyond the remainingportion of the face.

7. In a machine for manufacturing concrete masonry units which includesa mold box for receiving Wet concrete mix in a plurality of compartmentsin straight line series and which also includes a stripper head movablysupported above said mold box and adapted to be lowered into a positionso as to compress the concrete mix contents of the compartments of saidmold box; said mold box and said stripper head being adapted to bevibrated for settling and compressing the concrete mix in thecompartments of said mold box, the combination of a two section liner oneach end of said mold box comprising a lower section fixedly secured toand closing an end of said mold box, and an upper movable sectionmounted on said lower section for movement relative to said lowersection between upper extreme and lower extreme limits, an inner plateon each of said upper sections of said liners arranged for overlying anouter portion of the end compartments of said mold box, an outer plateon each of said upper sections of said end liners, and spring-loadedpush-rods connected between said stripper head and said outer plates ofsaid upper sections of said end liners for effecting the movement ofsaid inner plates of said upper sections of said end liners in advanceof said stripper head upon each lowering of the stripper head onto theconcrete mix in said compartments thereby to compress a portion of theconcrete mix in the opposite end compartments of said mold box adjacentto said liners to a greater extent than by said stripper head andthereby to provide a face on each of the formed concrete blocks atopposite ends of said mold box which has one portion of the faceprojecting beyond the remaining portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTSSawyer Nov. 6, 1923 1,570,595 Stevens Jan. 19, 1926 1,593,831 King July27, 1926 2,151,244 Stites Mar. 21, 1939' 2,887,755 Zevely May 26, 19592,911,701 Moniz et a1 Nov. 10, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,127,381 FranceAug. 6, 1956 605,013 Germany Nov. 3, 1934 120,202 Sweden Nov. 11, 1947

